Articles tagged with Cryosphere
Research highlights advances in global weather modeling, sea ice convergence, and changes in seasonal drought patterns. Tornado emergencies are also explored, with a focus on Latinx communities and the importance of building trust and partnerships.
The 36th annual State of the Climate report reveals record highs in greenhouse gas concentrations, global sea level, and ocean heat content. Greenhouse gas concentrations reached a 53% increase from preindustrial levels, with fossil fuel emissions reaching a record high in 2025.
New analysis reveals Arctic winter sea ice coverage declined significantly due to record lows in 2025 and 2026, reversing a brief slowdown. The study suggests that Arctic winter sea ice loss is continuing in a warming climate.
Researchers found that warm South Atlantic Ocean temperatures influence atmospheric blocking patterns, leading to more frequent and intense snowfall events in East Antarctica. The study's findings highlight the importance of global climate connections across vast distances.
A Umea University study finds that ice actively accelerates the dissolution of iron minerals, potentially releasing more iron than current environmental models account for. This could have significant cascading effects on ecosystems, particularly in polar and mountain regions.
Snow cover on Greek mountains has declined by 58% over the past four decades due to rising temperatures. The research found that warmer air causes more precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow at high altitudes.
The MountAInWater project uses a unique combination of field work, modeling, and AI to assess climate change impacts on mountain water supplies and identify potential tipping points. The global reanalysis will provide crucial resources for managing future water security challenges.
A record-breaking sediment core 700 km from Antarctica's nearest stations provides direct evidence of how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and Ross Ice Shelf responded to warmer temperatures. The core, measuring 228 meters in length, contains layers of mud and rock documenting environmental conditions during earlier warm periods.
The Alps are expected to reach a peak loss rate of 2,000-4,000 glaciers per year by 2033-2041, with only 110 glaciers remaining in Central Europe by 2100. Regions like the Rocky Mountains and Andes will also experience significant glacier losses.
A modelling study suggests that heat stored in the Southern Ocean could be released, causing a rapid warming of the atmosphere. The ocean acts as a large heat reservoir, mitigating atmospheric warming since the Industrial Revolution.
A new study finds that a 2°C warming intensifies the Arctic's ability to absorb greenhouse gases, but reduces its capacity in alpine regions. This imbalance has significant implications for global carbon budgets and climate projections.
Research from the University of Utah and Virginia Tech reveals that seasonal shifts in rainfall and snowfall patterns are exacerbating glacier melting across the region. Glaciers in Central Himalaya, Western Himalaya, and Eastern Himalaya are especially vulnerable to accelerated ice loss and water availability threats.
The State of the Climate report reveals record-high greenhouse gas concentrations, with CO2 levels reaching 422.8 parts per million, a 52% increase from pre-industrial levels. Global temperatures also reached a new high, with annual growth increasing to 2.4 ppm yr−1.
Rapidly melting glaciers in High Mountain Asia are causing water volume to increase by 10% or more in at least 10% of rivers, including the Yangtze, Amu Darya, and Syr Darya. This surge can bring short-term benefits like increased hydropower and agriculture, but also poses risks such as sediment increases and glacier loss.
Researchers tracked unprecedented ice loss in western Canada, the US, and Switzerland, with glaciers losing 12% of their ice mass between 2001 and 2024. The study found that glacial melt accelerated at an alarming pace, driven by warm, dry conditions and glacial darkening.
International collaborations leveraging MBARI’s expertise and advanced technology better understand polar environments, including the Arctic seafloor and Southern Ocean. Researchers study seafloor processes, carbon and climate, and biodiversity in these regions.
Antje Boetius joins MBARI as president and CEO, expanding collaborations globally to advance marine science and engineering. She succeeds Chris Scholin, who will focus on further advances with the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) instrument.
A new study published in Science finds that strong climate policy can preserve twice as much ice as current warming trajectories, even if temperatures stabilized today. At a 1.5°C temperature increase, 53% of global glacier mass could be preserved, alleviating hazards like flooding and freshwater deficiency.
The seventh International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR-7) addressed Arctic changes' impacts on residents and the global community. The symposium featured diverse presentations covering atmospheric sciences, terrestrial science, and humanities, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary research to achieve sustainable development.
Researchers found that sea ice's cooling power decreased by about twice as much as the decrease in annual average sea ice area since 1980. The Arctic has seen the largest declines in sea ice cooling power, while the Antarctic's cooling power has also weakened since 2016.
Researchers study droughts, wildfires, and precipitation changes across the US Southeast and globally. The Great Salt Lake's drying exacerbates regional droughts, while a Maui wildfire is linked to atmospheric patterns.
A new study establishes official climate divisions in Hawaii, improving climate research and forecasting. Chronic pain sufferers who spend time outdoors experience stronger weather-based effects, while lightning-initiated wildfires are responsible for more than half the acres burned in the contiguous United States.
Research by Dr. Armineh Barkhordarian finds that Arctic marine heatwaves will become a regular occurrence, with average temperatures rising 2.2 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms. The study suggests that annual heatwaves will be the norm, with significant negative impacts on the ecosystem.
New research reveals permafrost's dominant role in shaping Arctic rivers and storing massive amounts of carbon. Thawing permafrost could unleash billions of tons of CO2, exacerbating climate change.
A study by Peking University researchers reveals that climate change affects cryospheric rivers, leading to changes in sediment transport and regime shifts. This can threaten downstream communities and ecosystems, highlighting the need for adaptation strategies.
Scientists have developed a new radar technique that can image hidden features within the upper few feet of ice sheets, including melting glaciers on Earth and potentially habitable environments on Jupiter's moon Europa. The technique boosts resolution by combining two different radar bandwidths and looking for discrepancies.
Researchers found minimal change in surface melt rates over the past four decades, despite rising global air temperatures. However, Antarctic ice shelf surface melt rates are expected to increase substantially in the coming decades due to climate change.
Scientists at Rice University found a natural 150-day cycle in the north-south oscillation of atmospheric pressure patterns, influencing hemispheric-scale precipitation and ocean surface wind stress. This discovery challenges conventional wisdom about atmospheric organization and has implications for climate modeling.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found Steenstrup Glacier in Greenland is retreating at an unprecedented rate, with a 5-mile retreat and quadrupled velocity between 2018 and 2021. The glacier's rapid change reveals that even long-term stable glaciers are susceptible to sudden and rapid retreat due to warming waters.
Researchers synthesized multisource data to explore spatiotemporal variations of melt/freeze onsets, revealing a 3-month delay in basal freeze onset compared to surface. The study highlights the importance of synchronous monitoring of air-ice-ocean system and suggests a possible delay in Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.
A new study by researchers from the University of Oldenburg found that particles from central South America were the primary source of iron in the South Pacific during the last two glacial periods. The team's theory suggests that jet stream circulation picked up fine mineral particles on the east side of the Andes and transported them ...
Researchers developed a methodology to attribute coastal glacier retreat to human-caused climate change, revealing that even modest global warming causes most glaciers to melt or retreat. The approach simulates the behavior of real ice sheets like Greenland's, helping predict major ice loss and informing decision-making for policymakers.
A new atlas measures the movement and thickness of over 250,000 mountain glaciers worldwide, revealing a mixed picture of the globe's ice-bound freshwater resources. The research suggests there is 20% less ice available for sea level rise than previously thought, with significant implications for water availability and climate change.
Researchers from The University of Tokyo developed a model to predict the occurrence of red snow events, which are associated with the duration of snow melt and the timing of new snowfall. The study found that snow algae blooms can speed up snow melt as they darken the surface.
Scientists predict that continued global warming could lead to a five-meter sea level rise by 3000 CE, making large areas uninhabitable without extensive modification. The Antarctic ice sheet's collapse, driven by West Antarctica's grounding on a bed below sea level, is the primary reason for this decay.
A Dartmouth team compiled a global-scale dataset to show how uncertainties over determining snow depth can actually improve predictions of water availability. The approach leverages observational and definitional uncertainties to make better assessments of snow droughts and their impacts.
Researchers analyzed an ice core from Greenland and found that fires in the North Atlantic region decreased over 4,500 years ago due to weaker summer insolation and expanding glaciers. Human interference, such as Viking colonization, also played a role in reducing fire frequency.
Researchers at Aalto University discovered that warm ice behaves differently than previously studied cold ice, with no significant viscoelastic recovery. The team's findings suggest that warmer conditions are increasingly expected to affect infrastructure engineering in frigid regions.
The cryosphere plays a vital role in regulating global climate, and NASA studies its changes extensively. Scientists have reported dramatic ice sheet losses in Greenland and Antarctica, causing sea levels to rise by 0.55 inches over 16 years.
A large section of the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica is expected to break away from the British Antarctic Survey's Halley Research Station in as little as a few months. The iceberg, measuring over 1,500 square kilometres, is part of the ice shelf's natural lifecycle, driven by changes in ice-shelf geometry.
Tropical Depression 16W is experiencing wind shear, with strongest storms located north of the center. The system is moving northwards and is expected to strengthen slightly but maintain tropical depression status.
Tropical Depression 08W has been detected by NASA's Suomi NPP satellite near Hainan Island, China, with maximum sustained winds of 34.5 mph. The storm is forecast to make landfall in southeastern Hainan Island on July 22 and potentially impact Vietnam later
Researchers provide photographic proof of climate change using images of retreating glaciers worldwide. The study aims to boost public awareness of the loss of glaciers' importance in maintaining Earth's atmosphere and scientific archives.
A study published in The Cryosphere shows the Alps could lose up to 70% of snow cover by the end of the century unless global warming is kept below 2°C. However, if emissions are controlled, the reduction would be limited to 30% by 2100.
Typhoon Lionrock strengthened to a typhoon, developing an eye with powerful thunderstorms, according to NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite data. The storm was moving southwest before expected to turn onto a northeasterly course.
Researchers used a new mapping technique called Fodar to settle the debate on the highest peak in the US Arctic. The study found Mt Isto to be the tallest at 2735m, surpassing previously disputed peaks Mt Chamberlin and Mt Hubley.
The Suomi NPP satellite spotted the remnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Emeraude in the Southern Indian Ocean, with a large area of remnant clouds visible. The system's maximum sustained surface winds were estimated at 20-25 knots, and its minimum sea level pressure was near 1005 millibars.
Tropical Cyclone Ula affected Fiji over Jan. 2-3, but moved south by Jan. 4, losing its eye and decreasing to Category 1 hurricane. Warnings for surrounding islands remain in force due to a nearby trough of low pressure.
Tropical Depression 29W, also known as Onyok, has been impacted by wind shear west of Palau. The storm is expected to dissipate over Mindanao in the southern Philippines on or around Dec. 19.
The study uses satellite images to show how glaciers flow and change over a longer time period, revealing complex behavior such as advancing or surging at speeds up to 100 times faster than normal. The animations provide a new look at glacier dynamics and can be used as educational tools to help the public understand glacier movement.
Tropical Storm Nakri formed on August 2 and struggled to organize for a week, eventually becoming visible to NASA's Suomi NPP satellite. The storm dissipated just one day later while approaching the Korean peninsula, with its maximum sustained winds reaching near 40 knots.
Typhoon Rammasun is approaching the central Philippines, and NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP Satellite has captured images of the storm. The storm has strengthened, with powerful thunderstorms surrounding a tightly wound eye and bands of thunderstorms wrapping into its center.
Tropical Cyclone 02A formed in the Arabian Sea with NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite capturing a visible image of the storm. The storm is consolidating and getting better organized, with strongest thunderstorms appearing south of its center.
Tropical Depression Peipah has brought clouds, showers, and gusty winds to the southern and central Philippines. NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured images showing the remnant clouds covering the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
Jakobshavn Isbrå reaches unprecedented summer speeds of over 46m per day, exceeding 4 times the speed of the 1990s. The glacier's increasing speed contributes to sea-level rise as it adds more ice to the ocean.
Research over decades identifies impacts on burrowing animals, plant roots, and microorganisms like diatoms, which affects seabirds and mammals. Shrinking cryosphere also decreases carbon dioxide uptake from the atmosphere and alters land suitability for plants.
Researchers have created high-resolution permafrost maps using air temperature and elevation data. These maps estimate 22 million square kilometers of permafrost, covering about one-sixth of the world's exposed land surface. The maps also reveal an index indicating the probability of permafrost in different areas.
A new analysis finds that Arctic snow and sea ice decline has doubled the estimate of climate models, suggesting more significant amplification of warming. The study suggests that as temperatures warm, energy is absorbed by the Earth instead of being reflected back into the atmosphere.